scholarly journals Spatial Distribution and Habitat Use Patterns of Humpback Whales in Okinawa, Japan

Mammal Study ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 207-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nozomi Kobayashi ◽  
Haruna Okabe ◽  
Isao Kawazu ◽  
Naoto Higashi ◽  
Hirokazu Miyahara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Use Patterns

scholarly journals Low latitude habitat use patterns of a recovering population of humpback whales

2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (5) ◽  
pp. 1087-1096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Isabel Carvalho Gonçalves ◽  
Renata Santoro De Sousa-Lima ◽  
Niel Nascimento Teixeira ◽  
Maria Emilia Morete ◽  
Gustavo Henrique De Carvalho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Nursery Ground ◽  
Social Strategies ◽  
Low Latitude ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Key Factor

The coast of Brazil is an important low latitude nursery ground for humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). The number of humpback whales in this region has increased and its population is reoccupying areas where it has been depleted during the whaling period. The goal of this study was to conduct land-based observations during 2014 and 2015 to characterize patterns of habitat use and relative abundance of humpback whales that migrate to one of these reoccupation areas: Serra Grande, Bahia state. The observed mean group size was 2.12 ± 0.96 individuals and did not vary through the reproductive season nor between years. Dyads (32.9%) and singletons (26.7%) were more frequently observed, and groups with calves represented 21.2% of the sightings. The mean number of whales counted per hour increased from 2014 (3.44 ± 3.35) to 2015 (5.12 ± 4.18). Habitat use varied during the season; whales used shallower waters closer to shore as the season progressed. The spatial distribution of groups with calves was dependent on the presence and number of escorts. Spatial segregation of groups with calves closer to shore is a key factor in understanding the overall distribution of whales in the area, suggesting that social strategies are affected by environmental factors, as seen in other wintering grounds. Small-scale studies from land-based stations, in areas such as this where there is no previous knowledge about the species, are cost effective. They provide information about the overall behavioural and spatial patterns while anthropogenic activity is still low, allowing habitat protection and management decisions before implementation and increase of human activities.

Modeling cetacean habitat use in an urban coastal area in southeastern Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 642 ◽  
pp. 227-240
Author(s):  
L Lodi ◽  
R Tardin ◽  
G Maricato
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Buffer Zone ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Few Data

Most studies of cetacean habitat use do not consider the influence of anthropogenic activities. We investigated the influence of environmental and anthropogenic variables on habitat use by humpback Megaptera novaeangliae and Bryde’s whales Balaenoptera brydei off the coast of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Although there are 2 marine protected areas (MPAs) in this area, few data are available on cetacean habitat use or on the overlap of different cetacean species within these MPAs. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the MPAs and propose a buffer zone to better protect the biodiversity of the study area. We conducted systematic surveys and developed spatial eigenvector generalized linear models to characterize habitat use by the species in the study area. Habitat use by humpback whales was influenced only by depth, whereas for Bryde’s whales there was the additional influence of anthropogenic variables. For Bryde’s whales, which use the area for feeding, sea surface temperature and the distance to anchorages had a major influence on habitat use. We also showed that neither of the MPAs in the study area adequately protects the hotspots of either whale species. Most of the humpback whale grid cells with high sighting predictions were located within 2 km of the MPAs, while areas of high sighting prediction of Bryde’s whales were located up to 5 km from the MPAs, closer to beaches. Our findings provide important insights for the delimitation of protected areas and zoning of the MPAs.

Can animal habitat use patterns influence their vulnerability to extreme climate events? An estuarine sportfish case study

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 4045-4057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross E. Boucek ◽  
Michael R. Heithaus ◽  
Rolando Santos ◽  
Philip Stevens ◽  
Jennifer S. Rehage
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Extreme Climate Events ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Extreme Climate ◽  
Climate Events ◽  
Animal Habitat

scholarly journals Habitat use patterns of franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) off southern Brazil in relation to water depth

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (5) ◽  
pp. 943-949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Danilewicz ◽  
Eduardo R. Secchi ◽  
Paulo H. Ott ◽  
Ignacio B. Moreno ◽  
Manuela Bassoi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Management Procedures ◽  
By Catch ◽  
Pontoporia Blainvillei

The patterns of habitat use by the franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) along its distribution are poorly known. This study investigates the patterns of habitat use with respect to depth for 181 individuals of different age, size, gender and reproductive condition off Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. The results reveal that franciscanas are very homogeneously distributed according to depth. Individuals from all lengths utilize nearly the entire range of depths of the surveyed area. Larger or older animals do not use deeper waters than younger animals, indicating that body size and age are not limiting factors for franciscanas that occupy deeper or offshore waters. Gestation seems to not cause a change in the distribution of females. Although the sex-ratio of the overall data did not vary from 1:1 in different depth intervals, a small-scale comparison between the northern and southern coast demonstrated the existence of some kind of sexual segregation. Franciscana by-catch in Rio Grande do Sul is not sustainable and it is agreed that management procedures are needed. Nevertheless, the available data on species distribution do not allow the designing of a protected area in order to minimize the by-catches of a particular sex/reproductive class.

Habitat-use patterns of the coypuMyocastor coypus in an urban wetland of its original distribution

2006 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 295-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
María J. Corriale ◽  
Santiago M. Arias ◽  
Roberto F. Bó ◽  
Gustavo Porini
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Original Distribution ◽  
Urban Wetland
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